Demetri Sibanda
Verified Expert in Support and Operations
Support & Operations Expert
Johannesburg South, Gauteng, South Africa
Toptal member since February 15, 2026
Demetri is an operations, customer success, and systems professional who builds structure out of complexity. He specializes in customer success, technical operations, product ownership, and systems integration, building processes and technical systems that drive growth—cutting onboarding time through hands-on customer training and setup, leading enterprise-scale API integrations that improve reliability and adoption. Demetri blends deep technical fluency with a customer-first operations mindset.
Expertise
- Account Management
- Client Relationship Management
- Customer Retention Support
- Customer Success
- Operations & Business Support Systems (OSS/BSS)
- Operations Management
- Product Management
- SOP Development
Work Experience
Product Owner & Lead Integration Specialist
YumaPOS
- Owned the Uber Eats API integration end-to-end, coordinating with external engineering teams, defining requirements, and driving issue resolution through testing and iteration.
- Served as the primary point of contact between business stakeholders and Uber Eats engineering, aligning priorities and ensuring on-time delivery.
- Identified and escalated integration issues, working closely with engineering leads to prioritize fixes and maintain system stability.
- Reduced operational errors and improved order accuracy, driving increased third-party adoption and revenue opportunities.
- Strengthened strategic platform partnership and positioned the POS ecosystem as fully omnichannel-ready.
Customer Success & Technical Operations Lead
YumaPOS
- Led API integrations, reducing integration-related issues by 30% and improving operational efficiency.
- Resolved complex POS, network, and SaaS issues with a 95%+ resolution rate, reducing integration-related issues by 30% and directly improving customer satisfaction and retention.
- Managed a portfolio of key accounts with 90%+ retention, aligning systems with business objectives to drive long-term success.
- Reduced onboarding time by 60% by building standardized frameworks from the ground up, replacing ad hoc, inconsistent handling across the customer base.
- Identified systemic gaps in customer support and operations, then designed and implemented process improvements that cut recurring issues and reduced escalation turnaround time by 25%.
- Served as the de facto connective layer between Customer Success, Operations, and Engineering in a rapidly scaling organisation—bringing order, accountability, and repeatable process where none existed.
IT Technician
University of Pretoria
- Supported 1,000+ student devices, diagnosing and resolving operating system, hardware, and software issues while maintaining high system availability and user satisfaction.
- Led logistics and operations for a laptop loan program, successfully deploying and managing 250+ devices, ensuring accessibility and continuity for students.
- Implemented CRM-driven ticketing processes, improving request tracking, accountability, and reducing resolution times through structured workflows.
- Collaborated with finance and procurement teams to streamline repair cycles and device acquisition, minimizing downtime and optimizing asset lifecycle management.
Managing Director
Hwange Wildlife Safaris
- Led operations and strategy for a 20+ person team, overseeing budgeting, resource planning, and performance, improving operational efficiency by over 25%.
- Defined and standardized core operational processes across bookings, finance, and lodge management, creating the structural foundation for scalable growth.
- Designed and built automation systems using Docker to containerize and manage database infrastructure, improving reliability and enabling faster, safer deployment of internal tools.
- Developed integrations to automate booking workflows end-to-end, reducing manual processes by 60% and improving transaction visibility across payment and inventory systems.
- Directed the successful development and launch of a second lodge, expanding capacity and unlocking new revenue streams.
- Drove business growth by negotiating partnerships and strengthening stakeholder relationships, contributing to increased bookings and revenue.
- Headed community-focused initiatives with local stakeholders, supporting education and economic development while strengthening long-term partnerships.
Project History
PAX Terminal Integration for UK-compliant Digital Tip Distribution
https://urocked.com/Implemented compliant digital tip distribution on PAX terminals, improving transparency, reducing payroll errors, and aligning hospitality clients with updated UK tipping regulations.
I led the implementation of uRocked tipping software on PAX card terminals to support UK hospitality clients transitioning to compliant digital tip management. The project addressed new UK tipping regulations requiring transparent and structured tip distribution.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Managed integration between uRocked software and payment terminals, ensuring seamless tip capture, pooling logic, and automated distribution workflows.
• Coordinated with vendor engineering teams to validate transaction flows, device compatibility, and reporting accuracy.
• Conducted controlled deployment testing and supported configuration alignment with client operational models.
OUTCOME
The solution eliminated manual tip calculations, improved payroll transparency, and strengthened compliance readiness. This project enhanced the overall POS ecosystem offering and positioned the platform as regulation-aware and future-proof within the UK hospitality market.
Global Software Stabilization and Performance Optimization Initiative
Identified critical memory leak causing enterprise-wide POS lag, led validation testing, and contributed to global patch rollout, improving platform stability and client retention.
I served as a dedicated technical lead for 1 of the largest franchise clients experiencing persistent POS device lag and performance degradation. Previous troubleshooting attempts had failed, creating a risk of enterprise churn.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Implemented structured monitoring of device performance metrics, system logs, and memory utilization patterns.
• Collaborated closely with internal development teams to test multiple software iterations in controlled environments. Through detailed diagnostics and version-comparison analysis, we identified a memory leak in the core application layer.
• Validated findings through staged deployments and performance benchmarking before global release. The fix eliminated systemic lag issues and improved overall platform stability worldwide.
OUTCOME
The project strengthened client trust, prevented potential revenue loss, and improved product performance at scale.
Hospitality Business Expansion and Operational Scaling Strategy
Led the development of the 2nd lodge, expanding capacity for group tourism, increasing revenue potential, and strengthening operational scalability within the safari hospitality market.
I spearheaded the strategic expansion of Hwange Wildlife Safaris by developing a 2nd lodge to accommodate group bookings and educational tours. The initiative aimed to increase capacity, diversify revenue streams, and strengthen positioning in the safari tourism market.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Oversaw planning, infrastructure setup, operational workflow design, and service structuring to ensure scalable hospitality delivery.
• Coordinated resource allocation, staffing considerations, and operational processes aligned with group travel logistics.
OUTCOME
The expansion increased accommodation capacity, improved market competitiveness, and unlocked new customer segments, including schools and organized travel groups. The project demonstrates strategic business scaling, operational planning, and leadership across cross-functional teams.
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems
University of Pretoria - Pretoria, South Africa
Skills
Tools
Microsoft Teams, Zendesk, Jira Service Management, Confluence, WordPress
Tool Features
Automations
Security & Compliance
PCI Compliance
Sales Operations
CRM
Project Management Tools
Airtable
Operations Excellence
Audit Trail Maintenance
Automation & No-code
Zapier, n8n
Troubleshooting
Testing, Object-oriented Programming (OOP)
Skill Ladders
Conflict Resolution, Onboarding, Performance Tracking
Professional Skills
Data Annotation, Feedback Delivery
Productivity Suites
Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Microsoft OneNote
Product Support
Integrations, Troubleshooting
Operations
Hardware Procurement, Software Procurement Support
Customer Support
Communication, Helpdesk Ticket Triage, Customer Retention Support, CSAT, Payments
CRM & Sales Tools
Zoho CRM, Salesforce
Communication
Stakeholder Communication, Networking Support
Administrative Operations
Customer Service, Stakeholder Management, Support
Other
Microsoft 365, Windows, Systems Analysis, Industry Analysis, Technical Writing, Customer Support, Technical Support, Account Management, User Training & Support, Hardware, Installation, Strategic Partnerships, Client Services, Client Success, SaaS, Operations Management, Post-Sales Support, Client Lifecycle Management, Customer Retention, Identity & Access Management (IAM), Process Improvement, SLA Management, Vendor Management, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Performance Metrics, Reporting & Dashboards, ServiceNow, Technical Documentation, Root-cause Analysis (RCA), Systems Monitoring, Enterprise Account Management, Cross-functional Collaboration, Software Testing, Growth Strategy, iOS, Call Agent, Operations, Customer Success, Operations & Business Support Systems (OSS/BSS), SOP Development, Client Relationship Management, Revenue Growth, Customer Service Management (CSM), Customer Service Support, Process Design, Client Retention, Customer Acquisition, Social Media Login, LinkedIn Profiles, LinkedIn, Zoho, Helpdesk, Compliance, Finance, Product Management, Data Analysis, Business Planning, Revenue Strategy, Corporate Sustainability, Team Leadership, Sales, Technical Onboarding, Churn Reduction, API Integration, System Architecture, Business Process Optimization, Workflow Automation, Business Intelligence (BI), Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems, Network Administration, IT Project Management, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Technical Leadership, Microsoft SQL Server, Windows Server, Microsoft Azure, APIs, Agile Project Management, Fintech, Debugging, Operational Planning, Project Leadership, Infrastructure Coordination, Automation, Business Development, Business Operations, Business Strategy, Chief Operations Officer (COO), Media, Fractional COO, COO, Webflow, Scrum Product Owner, Project Management, Project Planning, Payroll & Benefits, Amazon Web Services (AWS), JSON
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